When We Feel The Most
by wornandtattered
Summary: She smiled and felt his lips break into a soft grin. "I wish we could always be like this." He said. - This is my take on the evolution of CedMione. Building friendship at first,  becoming romance later on. R&R!
1. Prologue: Fortunate Fools

**Prologue: Fortunate Fools**

"Close your eyes."

She did. And she stared at the darkness.

There was silence, and everything could be felt. She could feel the wind tickling her face, the grass on back. She could smell the aroma of the Black Lake, and hear the silent chirp of the night.

It was almost a minute of silence, then she felt _his_ fingertips softly tracing her bare arm. She felt him move closer to her and every senses focused on him. His soft breath on her neck, his nose slightly touching her cheek, and his lips.

She smiled and felt his lips break into a soft grin.

"I wish we could always be like this." He said.

She opened her eyes and stared at the moonlight. "I do too."

"Granger." She turned to her left and looked at his slightly bruised, yet handsome facethat looked at her affectionately. "I've missed you."

She touched his lip softly. "I've missed you more." She replied. "I was so scared for you."

He smiled slightly. "Well, at least it was over for now."

She could feel her worry bubbling up again. "But in two months, something probably more dangerous will happen. You need to be prepared immediately, so you won't be har-"

He put his finger on her lips. "You've said that loads of times before the first task, and you know I always do as you say."

He traced her bottom lip with his fingertip. "You can be the brainy worrywart tomorrow, Granger. But can I please have the sweet and passionate one tonight? I really did miss you, even if it's just a few hours."

She rolled her eyes playfully, as he smirked at her teasing. "Fine. But just for tonight, Diggory."

"What did you just call me?"

"Diggory. Why aren't you him?"

He shook his head. "Diggory is my father, as I have told you far too many times. If you really want to acknowledge me, call me Cedric, Like you always do."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Don't get smart with me, Diggory. And that's not fair seeing as you call me by my last name, too."

He smiled as he ran his nose on her cheek. "That's very reasonable."

"How so?" She closed her eyes.

"Seeing as it would always feel right to call you by your last name. Granger is quite fitting on you." He answered softly on her ear.

"Is Hermione really that unbearable?"

He chuckled. "Quite the contrary, love. Hermione is too delicate to be called at a normal occurence."

"So you settle for my last name like I'm some kind of a classmate or an acquaintance?"

"But we both know you're far from an acquaintance." He kissed her ear softly.

"How about a classmate?"

"How about you don't get smart back at me and kiss me?"

But instead, he kissed her.

AN: This is my first story to ever be published. Reviews are very much welcome. Thanks!


	2. Like Many Things, It Is What It Is

**Chapter 1: Like Many Things, It Is What It Is.**

They began with masks.

There was no seat available when Cedric Diggory entered the library. The Fifth years like himself were studying for their upcoming OWLS, thus the unexpected amount of crowd. He just came from Quidditch practice and was looking forward for some quiet time to study since his friends preferred to be in their noisy common room.

He tried to look for seats and he did find some, but it was always next to a giggling group of girls. So he politely turned down their offers and walked straight to the bookshelves. Seeing as there was no chance for a quiet spot, he might find the book he was looking for and try at the common room.

As he took the book, he heard a flicker of a paper. Turning to his left, he saw a girl sitting on the floor with ehr back at him. He approached her slowly and as he walked further, he realized that it was Hermione Granger, the Third year that was rumored to be the Brightest Witch of their Age. He smiled slightly.

"Granger, what are you doing down there?" He asked politely.

She looked startled, and before he could apologize, she frowned at him.

"Cedric Diggory?" she asked, seemingly confused. "What are doing back here?"

"I was looking for a book, actually."

"Yes, I can see that." She answered, the slight frown never leaving her face. "And to answer your question, I'm reading in a much quieter part of the library, seeing as everyone decided to study on the last minute."

He chuckled lightly. It was true. Tomorrow will be their exams.

"And you're alone?" he asked.

She looked at him. "What do you think?"

"Right. Stupid question." He looked back at the library entrance before sitting down cross legged in front of her.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" she raised her eyebrow.

He looked at her. "What do you think?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh now you're just mocking me."

He picked up the Arithmacy book he got from the shelf and started reading. They shared comfortable silence for a few seconds. He was starting to get comfortable, when he stared at her and saw a frown in between her eyebrows.

"What did the book ever do to you?"

She raised her head. "I beg your pardon?"

"You're glaring at it." He pointed out.

"No, I wasn't."

He chuckled. "Yes, you actually were."

"There's no problem with the book." She stated. "It's you."

He was taked aback with the boldness of the statement. Seeing as he couldn't form a sentence at the moment, she beat him to it.

"Why are you sitting here?"

"Because there are no desirable seats left." He replied a moment later.

"Yes. But why here?" She insisted.

"Because I have no intention of sitting alone on the floor." It was logical for him, really.

"I can see that, but why here? With me?"

He looked at her aprehensively. "Have I got no right to sit here with you?"

Unless she was too proud to be seen with someone, he really coundn't understand waht was wrong with it. Perhaps it was true? Hermione Granger prefers to be more acquainted with books than real people.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what is it?"

"Do you really want me to say it?" She asked, slightly irritated. He didn't answer. She sighed exasperatedly. "Do you really want to be seen with the resident Know-It-All of Hogwarts?"

And as he looked at her, he understood how those masked brown eyes really felt. As soon as what she said registered to him, he understood why she chose to be behind the spotlight. The Hogwarts population branded her as the bookworm know-it-all even before she can decide on her own.  
>He didn't understand why he felt mad about that fact. Sympathy, yes. Comfort, yes. But anger was a completely far off emotion.<p>

"Why in merlin would you think that I don't want to be seen with you?" He asked her with a hint of outrage.

"I have to spell it out word by word for you, don't I?" She shook her head. "You're Cedric Diggory and don't even try to think for one second that that doesn't matter, because it does." She said. "And I'm Hermione Granger. You're the Golden Boy. I'm the Bookworm. I'm fine with that, but those things don't match at all. We wouldn't be caught dead seen together."

All he ever did was frown at her words.

"Why do you see yourself that way?"

"It's what I am." She flicked the pages of her book.

He held the book to stop her. "You're not a what, you're a who. I don't believe you're just a know-it-all bookworm. You're categorizing yourself as everyone you don't know sees you."

"And you don't?"

"Not anymore." He said plainly. She looked at him. "I know everyone sees me as the pretty boy with no brains and I admit, I used to pretend to be like that, because no matter how I try, convincing everyone isn't easy. So, I did my Quidditch, study harder, and be a good friend. I do what everyone expects me to do. Until now, that is."

He finally understood why he was mad.

"I'm like you, Granger." He said, as she frowned even deeper. "I hide behind those status quos. I was lucky enough that mine was easier to deal with, but then there was you."

"And you assume that I don't like the way I'm being categorized?" She closed her book and looked at him directly. "I am what they call me. I don't deny it."

They looked at one another, Hermione with her jaw set and her eyes guarded, and Cedric with a soft stare.

"I know you are. You love books, but you're mocked by it. You have your goals straight, but it was misunderstood. And instead of correcting it, you hide behind it, as I did to mine." He explained. "And I'm not buying it."

"What exactly are you not buying?"

He nodded to her. "That confidence you have as being called a bookworm." Just as she was about to reply, he cut her off. "Come on, Granger. I see how that arse Malfoy treats you, and he may be the worst, but that doesn't mean he's the only one and you know it. Like I said, I'm lucky enough that mine was easier. Yes, I'm being mocked and patronized sometimes, but I bet that's nothing compared to how most people treat you."

Hermione grew silent.

He breathed. "It made me realize, just now, that it isn't really right. On the contrary, it's wrong. It's so wrong, that loads of people are hurt. We're so young, with so much ahead fo us, yet we already have masks."

...

Hermione tried to ignore what Cedric had said. She tried to concentrate on studying. But whenever Ron borrows her homeworks, or she sees their reaction when she tells them she's off to the library, Cedric's words always comes to her mind.

He's right. She's wearing a mask. She didn't even notice she was keeping one.


	3. If We Roll Together

**Chapter 2: If We Roll Together**

"Hermione Granger."

She looked up from her book and saw hims standing with his books on his arm.

"Can I sit here with you?" He asked.

She looked behind him and saw a group of female students staring at Cedric Diggory and glacing confusedly between them.

"Why?" She asked back.

"Because I want to."

Silence.

"Alright."

He occupied the chair opposite her. I can see why you like to sit here.

She looked at him.

"Great view." He explained, gesturing the window by their side, letting them see the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest.

They stayed silent for a moment.

"Are you trying to prove a point?" She asked, as she put her book down.

He shook his head. "I'm taking a stand."

She chortled. "And you expect people to follow you?"

He shook his head again. "I was hoping you d do the same."

"Why me?" She sighed. "Why can't you convince you friends, or someone else?"

"Because you're the one that matters."

She paused at his words. "I don't understand."

"Yes you do." He said, looking at her. "You can't keep hiding. These small things, he pointed at them both, These are the ones that matter. If we sit together, why do their judgment have to worry us?"

She stayed silent. For someone known as the brainless pretty boy, he does make a good point.

They started sitting together at that particular window seat of the library.

Even when people began to whisper why Cedric Diggory and Hermione Granger were laughing closely together, they paid them no mind.

Even when Cedric s friends couldn t understand why he was often in the library with her, he told them no lie.

Even when Harry raied his eyebrows at her, she bit her lip from telling him that they were just studying together.

Hermione found her match with Cedric. He was not brainless at all. On the contrary, he was rather full of wit, sensible opinions and vast knowledge. Cedric, at first, was somehow interested that Hermione never blushed, never stuttered, or even bat an eyelash whenever they talked. But as he went on, he found her snarky remarks, smooth comebacks and intelligent perceptions alluring.

Their conversations were, as one might say, weird and completely off-base. It was also rather witty and challenging.

Maybe masks are removable after all.


	4. Right Now We Are Here

Chapter 3: Right Now We Are Here

On Saturday, they were random.

"You don't strike me as the Pink - kind of girl." He commented. They were sitting at the window side, on a rainy Saturday morning.

She looked at her Pink sweater." I don't too, but Mrs. Weasley gave this to me last Christmas, and so I want to wear it."

He smirked. "As a sign of gratitude?"

She shrugged. "Initially, yes. But then again she isn't here, and this feels comfortable." She said. "Wipe the smirk off your face, Diggory."

"I told you not to call me Diggory."

"Well, you can't tell me what to do."

"Okay," he placed his hands on the desk. "Please don't call me Diggory."

"Why not?" She laid back on the chair in a more relaxed position.

"Because, as I told you, you re not someone that I'm not familiar with. You're my friend, and my friends call me Cedric."

"Just so long as you call me Hermione, too."

He shook his head. "Not possible."

She slapped his arm. "That's not fair! And don t even try to pretend that hurt, because we both know that it didn't so don t'be a baby." She said, as he started to yelp in pain.

He grinned.

On Tuesday, they were weird.

"Snape is a redhead."

She scoffed. The prim and proper Hermione Granger would never be involved with a convesation like this. But in everything, there is of course, an exception.

"Yes, Cedric, that is rather a unique idea, but surely you can come up with a better one?" She said, smirking. "Like Professor Bins as a Headmaster."

He laughed softly. "Good one. But," He rubbed his jaw in contemplation. "House Elves in Gringotts seem better."

"Oh," She perked up. "It's a delightful thought, house elves being free from slave labor now, isn't it?"

He nudged his socked foot in hers in agreement.

They were sitting next to each other, feet propped at the chairs in front of them. Classes were over for the day and they've decided to meet there after dinner. Ron and Harry didn't mind, rather liking the idea of no one persuading them to do their homeworks. Cedric's friends just looked at one another in some sort of understanding and didn't say anything about it. Well, at least that's what Cedric knows.

They were both reading their own books, when Hermione had suddenly stated, "The Greenhouse is full of blue plants."

Cedric had raised an eyebrow. She shrugged and explained, "Just a weird thought."

Then Cedric had threw in a weirder statement and now, they're into house elves in Gringotts.

"But what will happen to the Goblins?" She asked, frowning.

He shrugged. "House goblins?"

"You just don't like them."

He shrugged. "They're frightening."

There was a moment of silence, then Hermione stated, "Apparition is allowed in Hogwarts grounds."

He perked up from his seat. "Now that's a splendid idea. I can just pop on classrooms and not mess up my hair by sprinting down the hallways."

"And you insist that vanity is not your sin."

He rolled his eyes. "Jokes are meant for laughing, Granger."

Cedric was about to say something when an idea clicked in his mind. "The Weasley twins is only a single person named Fitzwilliam."

She perked her eyebrows. "Where did you get that name?"

"That's the name of my pompous git of a cousin." He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"So I can safely assume that Fitzwilliam Weasley is a pompous git?"

"Yes."

There was a silence of contemplation, then a bark of laughter that came from them both.

"Hogwarts Musical." She said.

His lips curled in amusement, then let out a laugh. "That's probably the strangest thing I have ever heard."

She chuckled in response. "Can you imagine it? Students singing in hallways, Professors dancing while handing out homeworks-"

"Malfoy doing the tap dance."

They laughed out loud, causing them to be silenced by Madame Pince.

Cedric shook his head in amusement. "I never thought I get to see this side of Hermione Granger." He said. "I didn't realize you had it in you."

"I had what in me?"

"The weird imagination."

She slapped his arm.

"What? You should take it as a compliment. I thought I was the only one."

"So this makes the two of us?"

He nodded. "The two of us." He smiled at her. "Precisely."


	5. NothingSpectacular But Sometimes Special

**Chapter 4: Nothing Spectacular But Sometimes Special**

On Friday, they were playful.

"Are you... An item?"

"No."

"A person then?"

"Yes."

They were sitting by that window spot in the library again and instead of facing one another, they are now sitting in an adjacent manner.

"Alright," Hermione Granger said, face full on concentration. "A muggle?"

"Maybe."

She hit his arm.

"That hurt!" Cedric Diggory complained, his grin proving otherwise.

"You can't say 'maybe', Cedric!" She protested. "Either yes or no."

He poked her shoulder. "You forgot that I started this game. I command the rules."

It was true. Here Hermione was, writing her History of Magic homework due in a week, when Cedric sat next to her and said, "Guess who I am." And before she questioned, he told her that it was a guessing game.

"You can't just change the rules like that!" She continued. "You're unfair!"

He grinned. "Take me or leave me, Granger. But I suggest you take me instead because primarily, you adore my impeccable humor, and second, you're not that cruel to leave this pitiful bloke alone."

"And you'll never leave me alone, anyway."

"Of course there's that, too."

She sighed dramatically. "Do I even have a choice?"

"I would wisely say no."

"Fine." She said. He raised his arms in triumph.

"But no 'maybe's'."

"You're no fun, Granger." He pouted.

She raised a hand to him. "Take me or leave me."

He narrowed his eyes at her but didn't say anything. He then took her hand and held it between their seats.

"Do you really think I'd say no?" He raised his eyebrow. "Fine. It's a yes."

"That you're a muggle?"

He nodded.

"Are you in Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

She bit her lip. Her senses seemed to be working more appropriately than her brain.

"A student."

"Yes."

"Are you yourself?" She asked suspiciously.

He scoffed. "Really, now? How narcissistic do you think I am? Thank you for the moral boost, Granger. Helped a lot." He said sarcastically.

"Being melodramatic is unbecoming for you." She rolled her eyes. "A female, then?"

He nodded, looking at her.

Somehow she felt that the answer is in front of her. But for an odd reason, she found herself somewhat distracted.

After a minute of silence she spoke up. "I hate this game." She said.

He chuckled. "Do you give up?"

"Not quite." She said determinedly. "Moaning Myrtle."

He fought the urge to smile. "Far from her."

She swatted him playfully. "Penelope Clearwater?"

He shook his head.

"Charity Burbage?"

He looked at her pointedly. "She's a Muggle Studies Professor, not a student."

She sighed loudly. "Alright, I give up. Who are you?"

He grinned cheekily.

"I'm Hermione Granger."

There was a moment of silence, followed by a hard arm slap.

"Ouch! That's three times today, Miss Granger! You're pressing your luck!" He complained, laughing all the while.

"It's my turn now." She said after a moment, still slightly smiling. "You're never going to guess what I am!"

"Are you Hogwarts, A History?"

There was another moment of silence, when she hit his arm hard again.

He complained while laughing softly, because they're in the library after all.

That hand that he held still remained intact for the rest of the night.

On Monday, they were personal.

"When I saw how my father reacted about that Hufflepuff and Gryffindor match, I knew right then and there that I was somehow a trophy son for him."

Hermione stayed silent. She knows he just wanted to let it out, than to hear other's opinions.

"He's proud of me, I get that. But I'm not that daft. I know he sees me as what he would have wanted to be when he was young. He was in Hufflepuff too, you know. But he's always been the blend- in type. He told me that. He doesn't have a lot of friends, doesn't play Quidditch, doesn't have the highest marks. I was always in his constant reminder not to be like him." He sighed. "Telling me to be friends with everyone, to be a good role model, to be great at Quidditch. Not good, 'Mione. Great."

Her heart wrenched for him, because she knows he's been trying hard in that sport. She was quite surprised he called her by her first name. Well, sort of. She doesn't think he even noticed it.

He chuckled dryly. "You should have seen the look on his face when I was owled to inform of my Prefect duties. He kept bragging to our neighbors of how 'his boy's a Prefect'." He shook his head, and Hermione pursed her lips in sympathy. "I've been plenty embarassed of his vocal pride of my achievements, and I remained silent because that's what makes him happy. I keep it quiet even though I know people call me, 'Daddy's boy'. I'm not complaining, but it just makes me sad to think that I'm sort of a prize for him. Something of his achievement, not mine."

His voice became dangerously soft at that point, that Hermione gave in the urge to curl her arm around his.

"Sometimes," She started. "We don't get that acknowledgement we should have, not because we don't deserve it, but because other people need it than we do."

She said it with such emotion that he couldn't help to look at her. She's looking straightforward, but her eyes are clouded with a hint of sadness. He frowned at this.

"How does this apply to you?" He was curious. But more than that, he was worried. It sent a small miserable feeling in his stomach when he saw her eyes like that.

She stiffed slightly. "It doesn't." She said flatly. He knows she's putting up her wall again after it unexpectedly went down.

"Liar."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you sort of are."

"How would you know?"

"Because I know you."

She stayed silent at this. He thinks, because he forgot that he's her friend, and he's not going to leave her. He knows it's hard for her to share personal stories, especially about insecurities, because she had a lot of them. And step by step, she's slowly allowing him to enter at that hidden part of her, one where not even her closest friends knew about. And he realizes, that he's doing the same for her, too. She's becoming one of the most important people in Cedric's life.

"You can trust me, Hermione. I'm not going anywhere." He still told her. He's got a feeling she needs to hear it.

At this, he was her close her eyes and give in.

"Harry's the Boy-Who-Lived, isn't he? He's in constant danger. Ron is his best friend. And I'm his other best friend." She gave him a small, sad smile.

He understood now.

"I'm the brainy one. I'm doing the best I can not to let him die in dangerous times. He's suffered for eleven years without his real identity, real family. He deserves this appreciation and care. But, at the end of the day, Harry and Ron are normal students. I'm the bookworm who gets constantly teased, constantly bullied. I'm getting good grades, but it doesn't work that way. Society is cruel. I'm not really complaining about how I don't get the acknowledgement. I'm actually fine with that. But being treated an outcast gets to me sometimes."

Cedric was looking down at her worriedly. He released her curled arm to wrap his own around her fiercely. She's right. Out of the Golden Trio, it was Hermione that was treated in this school the worst. Sure, there was that time that Harry Potter was the outcast last year, but he regained it. Hermione however, remained in the shadows since she first entered Hogwarts.

"Sometimes, I wonder why Harry are Ron are friends with me. What might have been if they didn't save me from the Troll."

"They would have been buried by now, and You-Know-Who is running about." He said it with such earnesty that Hermione had to smile.

"I wonder everyday why you're friends with me." Hermione said.

Before Cedric can say something, she cut him off. "I'm not trying yo get compliments from you, Cedric. Now am I pitying myself. It's just, you have to admit that this friendship is peculiar."

He shook his head. "No it's not, Granger."

"It's not peculiar in a bad way." She sighed, trying to get to her point. "It just is."

"It's not peculiar at all." He said firmly. "It's natural."

He wasn't lying. He never found their friendship odd or any of that matter. As a rule, Cedric doesn't judge people, or tries not to anyway. If anything, he sees Hermione with pride and respect even before he even knew her.

"Natural?" She asked skeptically.

He nodded. "We work. We both love books. We can talk for hours without getting uncomfortable. We always agree to disagree, or disgree to agree. We get along better than well. We are so complientary that not knowing one another may cause harm to the natural order od the universe."

It worked. Hermione's serious expression then turned to a full blown grin as they both chuckled together. He stared at her smiling face, feeling warm and happy.

**A/N:**

**I'm sorry it took a long time for this to be uploaded! Thank you for those who reviewed, and please continue to review! :D**

**By the way, the game they did was in reference to the game played in Big Bang Theory by Sheldon, Howard, Raj and Leonard. :)**


	6. Don't I Know You Better Than The Rest

**Chapter 5: Don't I Know You Better Than The Rest**

"Don't get me wrong," Cedric said as they sat together at the library, "I love our spot here. But it would rather be pleasant if we, you know, go outside for a change."

"We have a spot now?" She asked inquiringly.

He smirked. "Obviously, seeing as we don't go somewhere else." He said. "And you're dodging."

"Dodging what?"

"That's not going to work on me, Granger."

She looked at him.

"Where do you prefer to go to?" she asked him after a moment of silence.

His eyebrows contorted as he stayed silent. She was waiting for a suggestion, but what he said was unexpected.

"You don't want us to be seen outside, do you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "We were seen by many people already."

"In here, yeah." he replied. "But not once have we talked in the Great Hall. Or shared a walk on the hallways."

"Do you want us to?"

His lips quirked. "It would expand the definition of friendship, yes, but the question is," He looked at her directly. "Do you?"

As she looked back at Cedric, she can see that he's not pushing her into making a decision, nor is he mad. He honestly wants to know.

"I do." She admitted. "But it worries me a lot."

He nodded in understanding.

...

It was Thursday when he started it.

"I hate Divination." Hermione declared as they went down the staircase.

Ron scoffed at her. "You just dropped the subject, Hermione. We know you hate it."

"And now I hate it more when you just told me about that stupid prediction Trelawney gave to Harry!"

"It's fine, 'Mione." Harry calmly said.

She sighed. "She can't just do that, Just react like that in front of you and the whole class."

"But she did," Harry replied. "And don't worry about it."

Hermione faced Harry one step lower on the staircase. "Promise me you won't believe what she said."

"Herm-"

"Promise me, Harry." Behind her serious demeanor, Ron was nodding to him encouragingly.

Harry sighed. "Alright, I promise."

She smiled and as she turned around, she saw Cedric smiling and making his way to them.

"Hey Granger." He greeted her, his grin far too big for a simple greeting. He gave a polite nod to Harry and Ron. Harry nodded back and Ron just looked confused.

"Cedric." She greeted back, smiling and frowning at the same time. "What are you doing at this part of the castle? I thought Arithmacy-"

"No, I was just called by Professor Sinistra." He explained, cutting her off to to save her the trouble of explaining to the boys how she knew his schedule. He could see that one or both of them didn't know about their (not so) new friendship. Ron was still frowning at them and Harry was listening in, face indifferent.

Hermione nodded, fully smiling now.

"See you at the library?" He asked as he started to climb up slowly.

"Of course." She waved back at him as they continued on their path.

After a few seconds of agitated silence and Hermione's rushed footsteps, Ron finally asked. "What was that about?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," He faced her. "Since when are you two pals? You can't really blame me for saking, 'Mione. He's in fifth year, you're in third. He's a Hufflepuff, You're a Gryffindor. He's a boy you're a girl. I could go on and on but the point is," He said after sighing. This has got to be one of the longest things he said in one breathing. "Those things don't mix."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We've known each other in the library."

"That's the reason you often spend time in the library, then?" Ron asked.

This is what she hates. What she tries to avoid. Judgment. "No." She answered. It's not the entire truth, but it's not a lie, either. "I go to the library to study and read, like what most logical people would go to, Ronald."

He crossed his arms. "So of all the people you could have got acquainted to it just has to be Cedric Diggory, the one who defeated Harty in Quidditch?"

She clenched her jaw. This is one of the reasons why she didn't want anyone, especially Ron, to know about her growing friendship with the Hufflepuff. They wouldn't understand. Or try to even understand.

"Ron, drop it."

Except for Harry, of course.

"Hermione can be friends with anyone she prefers to. No one gets to decide for her." He said continuously. "Besides, It's not Cedric's fault that we lost."

And as they started to argue about Quidditch, Hermione smiled gratefully at Harry. He smiled back.

...

It was a Saturday when she continued it.

They were at Hogsmeade. And since Harry wasn't allowed to come, She's stuck with Ron, the twins, and Lee Jordan at Zonko's.

It's really too bad Ginny isn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade.

Hermione tried to tell Ron she's going to that bookstore they passed by, but he's too busy playing around with Fred, George and Lee to hear her. So she just went out. She spotted _him_ walking along the road with two other fifth year Hufflepuffs and she knows that this is just the perfect time.

"Hey Cedric!" She called from the other side of the street. All three of them stopped and turned to look at the source of sound. As soon as he saw her, Cedric broke into a huge grin in which Hermione reflected, slightly blushing. _Why does he have to go around here with his face all... and hair all... _She thought unintentionally. _Never mind. _She dismissed it immediately and scolded herself for thinking (feeling) that way.

He walked to her with the other two following behind him slowly. She met him halfway. "Granger." He greeted cheerfully. "It's nice to see you outside the library, and Hogwarts, for a change. You're alone?"

"No, actually I was going to visit that bookstore I saw earlier." She explained. "Ronald was at Zonko's and Harry wasn't permitted to go."

"Too bad for him." He said sympathetically. "I was going to tell you about that bookstore, actually. I believe you will enjoy the books in there. They're quite," She saw the mirth in his eyes. "Interesting."

She narrowed her eyes. "Really?"

"Oh yes. Look at the last aisle once you get there. You need to experience it."

"And why would I do what you say? You look conniving." She observed his smirk and blushed a little more. What is wrong with her?

_It's the snow. _She thought. _The white makes everything look better._

"It''s harmless I promise." His smirk turned into a half-smile. "Don't you trust me, Granger?"

He was staring at her. He was smiling playfully, but she can see how deep that stare is. She's been seeing it for a while now, most of it just recently. She didn't want to make an utter embarrassment out of herself so instead of opening her mouth, she shrugged.

He looked at her a little while longer until he pouted. "That's mean. You know you trust me." He put his hand on his chest. "You hurt my feelings."

She hit his arm. He ducked on the side, only to see his two friends looked questioningly at him. Oh. He forgot he had company.

"Oh! I failed to remember introducing you to my friends," He patted the one on the left. "This is Scott, and," On his right, "This is Peter."

Hermione smiled at them, feeling sheepish that she forgot his companions while they get a little bit lost in their world. So after the introduction, she excused herself and told them to enjoy their Hogsmeade weekend, and that it was nice meeting them. She waved to Cedric and when he told her he'd see her in the library, she nodded at him, grinning back.

...

"Now I understand." Scott said from his bed.

"Understand what?" Cedric asked, looking up from his book. The two smirked at him.

"Why you and Hermione Granger clicked."

"Clicked?" Peter asked Scott sarcastically.

Scott raised his hands in defense. "You got a better word, mate?"

"There are so-"

"Hey, focus." Cedric interrupted.

"Right." Scott cleared his throat. "You and Granger. It makes sense now."

Cedric raised his eyebrows. "Didn't it make sense before?"

"No." Peter answered.

"So how come they made sense for you now?" He asked intently.

"Because you both have a love for books."

"Yeah, mate." Peter agreed. "We forgot how much of a bookworm you really are."

Cedric's brows were contorted. "So you think the reason behind my friendship with her is because of books entirely?"

"Well, isn't it?" Scott answered with a question.

"No."

Peter and Scott looked at one another. "Then what esle is there?" Peter asked.

Cedric thought about his answer for a moment.

"Do you mean to say that Hermione Granger's love for books is the only thing that she can offer?"

The two just shrugged.

"I see." He nodded to himself. "Well I think that if people would hold an interest to really get to know her, they would find her life - changing." With that, Cedric closed his book and puts it in the desk, covered himself with his blanket and slept.

Almost a minute later, Scott whispered. "See, I told you."

"He likes her. Yeah, I know that." Peter whispered back.

The other sighed. "No, you idiot! He likes her. As in... _falling_ for her - likes her."

The room remained silent.

"Didn't you see his face when he saw who greeted him?" Scott continued. "Mate, he completely forgot we were there."

Peter chuckled softly. "Poor bastard."

...

**I'm sorry for the grammatical errors and the late post! I hope you like this even though it's simple. **


	7. Closer

**Chapter 6: Closer**

"You look awful."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Thank you." She replied sarcastically.

They were in their spot again when Cedric hear that Hermione was in the Hospital Wing, and seeing as she didn't make it yesterday, he found the rumor quite believable. So he went to the Hospital Wing and oddly enough, he saw both Harry Potter and Ron Weasley but no Hermione Granger. As he exited, he heard Harry say 'library' in which he gave him a grateful smile. He wasted no time and rushed to the said place, only to find her reading in their favorite table.

"You didn't say why you were bruised." Cedric said while looking at her blotched cheek, wounded lip and bandaged hand. It was a disturbing sight for him.

"I didn't really say anything about it."

"Okay, so tell me." He insisted.

Hermione shook her head.

Cedric frowned. He was worried about her. "If it was embarassing..."

"It wasn't." She responded immediately.

"Did you get into a fight?" He asked. "They said you punched Malfoy."

She smiled slightly, the wound in her mouth opening a little. "Well, that part was true."

"That's good to know." He told her proudly, not surprised at all that she can do it. Because she really can, she has the confidence. She's just worried on what the teachers would say. "But what other parts are there?"

She sighed. "Cedric-"

"Did someone hurt you?" He asked suddenly, eyes narrowing.

Hermione looked at him. His calm exterior was slowly diminishing as he set his jaw and frowned his eyes. She couldn't lie to him. "Not in the way you think."

There was a pause of silence as Cedric looked down on his fingers. Hermione was carefully looking at his actions.

"I know you three go on unknown missions and dangerous adventures every year since you've been in Hogwarts." He stated quietly. "But can you do a small favor for me?"

She nodded, seeing as he was waiting for an answer.

He looked at her and held both of her hands softly. "Come back."

She absorbed what he said, a little unnerved by his stare. His fingers were slowly tracing on the contours of her wounds, as if he's trying to soothe the pain. She opened her mouth to answer but he beat him to it.

"Promise me." He said.

"Why?" She finally asked.

He looked at her hand, and back to her eyes.

"It's important to me."

She sighed, slightly distracted by his warm fingers. She felt like it was trying to make her agreeable, but she knows it's not fair so she says the truth. "Cedric, I can't promise that sort of thing..."

"Please- just," He took a deep breath. "Keep that promise as much as you can."

She nodded after a few seconds of contemplation. She can tell that her appearance shook him a little, that's why he's been acting like that. Although she didn't really mean for it to happen, she felt rather... Cared for. Because of those bruises, she saw how much Cedric cared for her and that tingled something in her, but she cannot identify it yet.

They talked after a while. Cedric thankfully decided not to interrogate her more about the bruises, though she can tell that he very much wanted to know.

As dinner was coming near, they decided to part ways.

"See you, Cedric." Hermione said, standing up from her seat.

Just then, she felt him wrap his arms around her waist and hugged her. She stood there, a little shocked. They've never been this physically close before. Hand - touching, yes. But this was a development that she decided, she liked. He still wasn't letting her go when she got over their closeness so she slowly hugged him back.

She felt his arms tightened around her, and then she felt warm on her abdomen. He let go of her waist, and held her face in an utmost care. He kissed her forehead affectionately.

"See you, Granger."

And Hermione knew that everything's going to change now.

**AN**

**I know it's short. The next chapter's on the way and _thank you for the reviews!_ I apologize for the wrong tenses, grammars and spellings for all of the chapters. I hope you like this :) Don't worry, they'll eventually get together, and more. **

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEWWWWW :)**


	8. Fool For Fire We Fall

DISCLAIMER: I Don't own Harry Potter.

**Chapter 5: Fool For Fire We Fall**

He was beginning to love her. He realized that now.

When he interacted with her at the library, he knew he wanted to be her friend. When they were becoming friends, he knew he wanted to be someone very close to her. When he realized she's hurting, he wanted nothing but to take it away from her. When she greeted him for the first time outside the library, he realized he wanted her permanent in his life. All along he considered this as a brotherly feeling. If he was really honest with himself he knew it was always more than that, but it was so confusing he never entertained those thoughts.

Now, this was something more.

He was worried enough when she didn't appear that afternoon at the library. He was more worried when she wasn't in the Great Hall for dinner too, but then again, Potter and Weasley weren't either. He knew they went on another one of their dangerous quests yet again. He felt unnerved throughout dinner, until he was on his bed. Sometime while he was lying down, he heard a piercing howl outside the grounds. He prayed she wasn't outside.

He didn't enjoy his sleep, and the first thing that came to his mind was her closed-lip smile. He was about to ask a third year Gryffindor about Hermione's whereabouts, when he heard it from one of the Weasley twins. Seeing Hermione all bruised up, he felt so angry and relieved at the same time. But most of all, he felt so helpless. He wanted her safe, he wanted to be the one to protect her.

As he asked for her to keep her promise, she looked at him and all he wanted to do that time was to kiss her senseless. By then he knew, he wanted everything to change now.

It has been a week after the incident and the their friendship was nothing if not tighter. But both of them were right. Everything changed, it was just not that noticeable. Cedric made it a habit to walk around Hogwarts with Hermione everyday. Whether it was just in passing or walking her to her next class. He also started to walk her back to the Gryffindor tower after their stay in the library. He knew she's noticed, but didn't say anything about it and they both knew why; Because she enjoyed it.

Before they knew it, it was already the end-of-the-year feast and Cedric would always find himself staring at her. He tried to avoid it but everywhere he looks, he always ended up _needing_ to look at her. Time flew so fast and they were now all walking to the Hogwarts Express. After moments of discreetly looking around, he finally saw her infamous hair among the crowd. She was talking to Ginny Weasley when he went to her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but can I talk to Hermione for a moment?" Cedric asked them both politely while smiling in charm.

He was sort of thankful that it was Ginny Weasley whom he tried to pry away from Hermione, not Harry Potter or Ron Weasley. That would have been a harder task. the young redhead didn't say anything, just dazed off a little, nodded, and went to her right to walk with Neville Longbottom. Hermione rolled her eyes playfully at his antics.

"What?" Cedric said, seeing her expression. "It worked, didn't it?"

"It's Ginny, of course it worked." She said good-naturedly. "Anyway, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Nothing in particular." _I just want to be around you. imagining myself holding your hand while everyone minds their own business. _"I just want to walk with you for the last time, since we'll not each other for months." _And I won't be able to stop thinking about you, like I do now, because as ridiculous as it sounds, it's not even the first day of summer and I already miss you._ "And I'm going to miss you greatly."

His voice was so heartfelt that she had to look at him, and found herself surprised to see that he was already looking at her with the warmest crooked smile. She realized that she's already missing him which is, well, ridiculous.

She squeezed his arm. "You say that as if you're the only one." She said. "I'm going to miss you very much, too."

He held the hand that was in his arm to keep it there. He's been looking for an excuse to have some physical contact with her, and now that it ended up her being the one to initiate, he would not let it slide. He feels soothed by her mere touch, even if it's a few layers away from his skin.

They walked like that, arm in arm like a prince escorting a princess to a ball. They never said anything, just enjoyed the company. Hermione noticed that they walked on a slower pace than normal, resulting for most of the students to walk past them. She smiled affectionately. Cedric was always expressive of his thoughts.

"As I am sure we won't be granted a time together in the train, I wanted to enjoy this last moment of serenity." He said.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "So overdramatic."

"Says the brightest witch of our age." He teased. He then pulled her closer to prevent her from saying anything.

"You're going to write to me, yes?" He asked with a hopeful voice.

"If you want to." She answered sincerely. She'd been thinking about it for a while now. She didn't really want to impose, or decrease his time from whatever he wants to do. But it has never been opened between them, so she kept mum.

"You don't have to say it like that." He chuckled and looked at her. "I'll always want to hear from you."

She almost melted by his gray stare. Who knew eye contacts could be so powerful? She suddenly wished they weren't on their way home. Loads of things could happen in the summer, in the next school year even. Their library days might soon diminish and it is possible that things with him will not be the same anymore. They could drift apart.

She brushed it off as overthinking, forgotten at the moment.

"Likewise, Cedric." She looked back at him and smile softly.

They were nearing the train and Hagrid could be seen monitoring at the dock.

"Things wouldn't change between us, right?" She asked, somehow needing reassurance.

He wasn't sure how to answer that. He wanted nothing but to turn their relationship into something more, but of course he didn't want to pressure her.

"Maybe it will," He decided to say. "For the better."

She seemed to accept that because she nodded, smiling.

"I'm not going anywhere, Hermione." He said with conviction, as they stood in front of the train door, the last one to aboard Hogwarts Express.

And that was enough for her. So, she opened her satchel and pulled out a journal. She took one of the folded papers that were attached in between and gave it to him. Perplexed, he reached for it and opened. It was an envelope but as he turned the envelope, he realzed it was her first Howarts' Letter. His eyes widened a little, knowing this is very important to her (because almost all Hogwarts students kept safe their first letters) and wouldn't give it just to anyone helps.

"That's the only parchment that indicates my address. You can send letters there." She said.

Then, unexpectedly, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek with the softest pressure. He stood there, dumbstruck, barely feeling anything but also feeling so much at the same time. Never had he felt so warm in his entire life. He felt her breath so near from his, and all coherent thoughts were gone. She slowly pulled away, cheeks flaming and smiling at him.

"See you soon, Cedric." She said. "Keep safe."

He didn't get a chance to respond, or even say goodbye. She immediately climbed up, took one glance of his frozen stature, smiled and went to find Harry on Ron.

Cedric knew his cheeks were flaming. He started at nothing in particular as he placed a hand his cheek. He knew he didn't get to say goodbye and although that upset him a bit, he could somehow feel that they weren't saying goodbye at all. Not really.

"Cedric? What are you still doing here?" Hagrid's booming voice shook him out of his reverie. "Get on board now, boy!"

He immediately hopped unside and scrabled to re-arrange his belongings. He felt a parchment on his other hand and saw Hermione's letter. He grinned.

This is going to be a great summer.

AN:

Sorry for the grammatical errors!

I wanted to thank everyone who read this story, and more thanks to thos who reviewed. Made my day! :) Please continue to read and review :D


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